The chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, Lord MacLaurin, said today he was convinced the Essex star is innocent.

Stewart is the only England player against whom accusations have been levelled, having been accused in an Indian CBI report of having received money from bookmakers for information - a charge he strenuously denies.

Lord MacLaurin said: "The allegation against Alec was totally unsubstantiated. I do not know of any allegations against any England player.

"The only situation we dealt with was with Alec Stewart. I spoke with him and he denied being involved.

"Lord Condon has interviewed Alec once and will do it again. The allegation against Alec was totally unsubstantiated."

Stewart was accused in the Indian CBI report of having received money from bookmakers for information.

And Stewart today reiterated his willingness to co-operate with the anti-corruption inquiry.

"I saw Lord Condon in the New Year and he asked me not to comment on anything and that's how it will be," Stewart said.

"But what I will say is what I said at the time when it first broke is that I'm happy to co-operate if and when asked by Lord Condon."

Stewart was speaking during his county Surrey's Benson & Hedges quarter-final against Sussex at Hove, where he had a disappointing start to the game, making a golden duck as he was trapped lbw by Robin Martin-Jenkins.

Meanwhile, MacLaurin has reaffirmed his belief that anyone found guilty of match-fixing should be banned for life.

He said: "I have said that my board at the ECB will take a strong view if any of our players transgressed.

"My own view - and it might be thought to be strong - is that we would have life bans. You can't suspend people for six or nine months. They come back and the game has to do without them.

"We have our own disciplinary committee here but it would be wrong to say it is not happening here, that it is in someone else's backyard. If it is happening here let us clear it up."

The ECB chief, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, added: "It is a thorough report and initially goes back to the 1970s. It sets a scene of how things have developed in a very sad way for the game.

"I have always said when the first allegations came out it was the tip of the iceberg. It has got worse recently and Lord Condon has highlighted that.

"It is very sad. Lord Condon has had an opportunity to go round the cricketing countries and his findings will be referred to the ICC meeting in June.

"It is clear that the ICC under Sir Malcolm Gray, its new president, has some strong talking to do. It is up to the ICC and our own boards to clean up the game.

"Administrators have to be very strong and I would hope that all Test-playing nations would have a collective desire to clear up anyone who has transgressed in the past and is still playing. Clearly they should not go on playing.

"Millions follow cricket and we cannot have it besmirched by anyone transgressing.

"The Indian board have some strong decisions. Now it is up to all Test nations to clear it up and move on."